In March, Clover
by Kaeru Shisho
Summary: A St. Patrick’s Day Story, featuring Lina and Xelloss. It follows the ‘In a Clearing’ story in chronological order, but may be read as a standalone short story.


**In March, Clover**

A St. Patrick's Day Story

If you are reading these 'In...' stories in chronological order, this story follows 'In a Clearing', but may be read as a standalone short story.

* * *

Lina did a double-take, and then asked the handsome demon, "So what's with the top hat?" 

Xelloss bounced up from the couch and whirled around, giving her a good view of his entire ensemble. Only his cream-colored cravat was not some shade of green, luminous grass green.

"Dear gods!" came an anguished cry from the other side of the inn's drawing room. "Mil, I want to leave right now. Forget dinner. I have lost my appetite."

Milgasia sighed and stood his ground. He knew his wife, Filia, emoted far too much when Xelloss was near. "This too shall pass..."

Lina was speechless.

"He's a frog," Zelgadiss suggested.

"No," Amelia stepped all the around Xelloss tapping an index finger against her temple in thought. "Think again. He is too finely dressed. See the waistcoat and gloves?"

"Thank you, Amelia." Xelloss appeared mildly perturbed. "I _am_ standing here and I _can_ hear you, Zelgadiss, and I am _not_ a frog in any way, shape, or form!"

"You are far too green," Filia said. "Regardless."

"Perhaps if we take our seats in the dining room, my dear." Milgasia urged her forward with a gentle push. In a lower voice he added, "Please, don't make a scene. It's what he wants, you know."

Filia felt the warmth rise to her cheeks. She nodded contritely, and left the room.

"Sorry we're late!" called a light, high voice in an earnest appeal for Lina's forgiveness. "The sitter was late and I lost the instructions and Gourry-dear couldn't remember the name of the inn..."

"Sure, I did," Gourry came to his own defense.

"Not the right one, sweetie," she said sweetly. Sylphiel stood on her tip toes and kissed his cheek. "But that's okay. We did make it, didn't we?"

"Wouldn't miss one of Xelloss' spreads," Gourry smiled. "Right?"

Gourry had been expecting Lina's strong and jovial agreement, but she was still dumbstruck over Xelloss' appearance. Filia and Milgasia had already entered the dining room, and Amelia was in close discussion with Xelloss concerning his tailor and linen supplier.

"I'd like Zelgadiss to try something new and fitted like this jacket," she was telling him. Amelia ran her fingers lightly over the sharp line of Xelloss' cuff. "I'm so glad you put this dinner all together. I hope it works."

Zelgadiss moved closer, his suspicions triggered when he noticed Xelloss in hushed conversation with his wife.

Amelia noticed her husband's movement, and so, spoke up loud enough for everyone to hear, "...And this wool texture is incredibly fine. Nice body, too."

"Body? You _are _referring to the weight of the fabric, correct?" Xelloss smiled with a twinkle in his eye. Her quick blush response, was his reward. He brushed further explanations aside with a flick of his wrist, and then answered her question. "That is because it's a blend of wool and silk. It was recommended to me for spring, and it is almost spring."

He turned his back to Zelgadiss, hiding his actions, and then Xelloss bent to whisper into Amelia's ear. "Here's my tailor's card. You'll love the place and, there's hardly a drab beige cloak to be found on the premises."

"Really?" she giggled.

"What are you two conspiring over here?" Zelgadiss asked as he joined them. It never ceased to amaze him that Amelia fell in love with him, a chimera, but he was totally mystified to discover how close a friendship she'd been able to establish with the worst demon they had ever encountered, and not killed. If he wasn't positive of Xelloss' devotion to Lina, he might be jealous of Xelloss' intimacy with Amelia. What had taken him year to achieve, Xelloss could imitate instantly, or so Zelgadiss thought.

"Lina? You okay?" Gourry asked with concern. He even gave her shoulder a test shake to get her attention. It was no secret that he still harbored a special affection for Lina. Oh, he knew she wasn't the girl for him– too tough– but that didn't stop him from caring about her.

"J-Just l-look at him!" Lina had managed to spit it out. She looked hopelessly from Gourry to Xelloss.

"I think we should join Filia and her husband," Zelgadiss said to Amelia. Let Gourry sort out Lina's problem. As he took her hand, an affectionate gesture he knew Amelia appreciated, he encountered Xelloss' card. "What's this?" he asked.

"Oh, you're right, I'm starving!" Amelia cried out and hopped ahead.

Gourry strode up to Xelloss and smiled, "Howdy, Xel! You sure are all gussied up tonight. What's the occasion?"

Xelloss matched the other man's smile with a genuine one of his own. There had been a time when he considered Gourry to be a rival for Lina's heart. That was when he realized how much she meant to him and that if he wanted Lina to be his, he would have to act, and act fast. Xelloss did, and now they had been married for ten years. Gourry never had a chance.

"I am glad you asked me, my good man. Come! Lead your woman to the trough and sup with me and mine, and I shall reveal unto you all my secrets." Xelloss scooped Lina up in his arms and whisked her off her feet. "Din-din, honeycakes."

"Xelloss? What is...? Oh, never mind," Lina rested her head against his chest and gave up. She knew punching him would not change her circumstances one iota. "What's on the menu?"

"Olive-stuffed flank steaks, whole roasted chicken with goat cheese and sage, cherry tomato _confit_, _haricot vert _salad, and for dessert...perfect white cake with Italian meringue butter cream frosting."

"Oh, that's...that's just terrific!" she sighed.

"Yeah, that sure sounds like a fine dinner to me. Thanks a lot!" Gourry exclaimed.

But, sadly, Xelloss had been kidding around again.

"Cabbage and corned beef? And what's this dry oat bread all about? Where's the chicken and the... the _confit_?" Lina demanded. She turned on Xelloss with look of betrayal.

"Did it sound good? I was just reciting the contents of a magazine," he said with a shrug.

Filia pushed her plate away. "Dear gods, Xelloss. This is not food, and these are a poor excuse for flowers." She flicked at the green clover centerpieces with a perfectly manicured fingernail.

"But it is! I looked it up and provided the kitchen with all the recipes!"

"Ah, well that explains it," Milgasia spoke in his low key humourous tone. "Famous Demon Chefs of Seyruun, there are not."

"You all misunderstand me. Today is St. Patricks' Day. You dress in green. Observe the traditional Irish food!" He was talking fast all the while watching Lina's temper grow. He knew he had to find a magic word to distract her and get her thinking about something other than the anticipated feast-that-never-was.

"Irish food? Is that a place or a name?" Lina asked him.

"Bingo!" he congratulated himself silently. He smiled lovingly at his Lina, and then rotated his finger around in a circle a few times as he explained, "A people, Lina, a _people! "_

She grabbed hold of his finger on its tenth revolution. He smiled. She smiled.

"Would you like me to tell you about it?" he asked. He and Lina were turning the evening into a game.

"He's bound to anyway so you might as well let him get started now."

"Thank you, Zelgadiss, my good friend." Xelloss stood, hands behind his back. He waited until Lina nodded, and then began, "The person who was to become St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, was far from being a saint. Until he was 16, he considered himself a pagan. At that age, he was sold into slavery by a group of Irish marauders that raided his village. During his captivity, he became closer to God."

"Desperation leads most men to acts of insanity," Zelgadiss muttered to Lina.

"Zelgadiss, shhh," Sylphiel warned him. She didn't allow for anyone to blaspheme anyone's gods. There were three priestess present at the table, and Milgasia was a holy man as well. Xelloss held the title of 'priest', but he was in no way holy, she knew.

"He escaped slavery and later returned to Ireland as a missionary, determined to convert Ireland to Christianity. He was said to have used the shamrock to explain how the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit could all exist as separate elements of the same entity. His followers adopted the custom of wearing a shamrock on his feast day."

"Should we be wearing one today, _too_?" Amelia asked.

"Yes, but for a different reason, which I'll get to," Xelloss answered. "Back to my story...Patrick was quite the showman and was successful at winning converts. And this fact upset the Celtic Druids. Patrick was arrested several times, but escaped miraculously."

"Maybe he and his god were on good terms," Gourry suggested.

"You might be right!" Xelloss adjusted his cravat, then continued. "So, Patrick traveled throughout Ireland, establishing monasteries across the country; his mission in Ireland lasting for thirty years. After that time, Patrick retired and then died on March 17. That day has been commemorated as St. Patrick's Day ever since."

"What's that all got to do with us eating cabbage?" Lina grumbled. The game wasn't as interesting as she had hoped , and she was remembering his mention of 'roasted chicken...'

"It's an Irish holiday, Lina," Sylphiel told her. "Weren't you listening?"

"Yes, I was listening, but... So this is traditional Irish fare, then?"

"Yes it is," Xelloss said with a smile. He was losing Lina; it was time to add some spice. "Much Irish folklore surrounds St. Patrick's Day. Not much of it is actually substantiated, but that's what makes it so interesting, and fun. Some of this lore includes the belief that Patrick raised people from the dead."

"Sounds like he may have been a dragon lost from his tribe," Milgasia pointed out.

"Possibly, or a demon, like me. Patrick also is said to have given a sermon from a hilltop that drove all the snakes from Ireland."

"Of course, no snakes were ever native to Ireland," Zelgadiss remarked.

"Certainly, then, it was just a metaphor for the conversion of the pagans," Milgasia put in. His interest in the evening had grown as the topic of religions was raised.

"So, this guy ran out the snakes from the island of Ireland and now we..." Gourry, lost by the strange religion references, tried to clarify things but was interrupted.

"Eat boiled potatoes?" Amelia rolled one around and around on her plate, chasing it with her fork.

"Exactly!" Xelloss agreed.

"And wear outlandish suits in green?" Zelgadiss asked.

"Oh." Lina decided that Xelloss would have to work a little harder on this one.

Xelloss turned to Lina. "_Oh? _That's all you have to say? _Oh?_"

"Yeah. Oh. It's not so impressive a tradition."

"Well, I hadn't gotten to the pots of gold."

"Are you pouting?" she asked him.

"I shall not dignify that question with an intelligent answer." However, he spoiled his arrogant bearing by winking at her and breaking into a smile.

"Funny man..." Lina grinned at him and punched his nearest arm. "Pots of gold, huh? _Really?_" She loved his playfulness. She knew something exciting was about to happen.

"**_Really! _**You catch a Leprechaun, and he has to give you a wish or he loses his pot of gold to you."

"Wouldn't that be very dangerous? I thought leopards were big cats?" Sylphiel put in. "You know, all ths cabbage needs is a little more caraway seed. I'll go tell the cook!"

Xelloss stared at her blankly, unable to make a smart remark because he had promised Lina to be kind to the poor, sweet thing. _Leopards?_

"Yeah!" Gourry agreed. "That's my girl! Maybe they can shove a pile of sour cream on a plate, too!"

"I'll ask them, sweetie!" Sylphiel blew him a kiss and prepared to skip off to the kitchen.

"That won't be necessary," Xelloss said. "I'll call over a waiter." If he wasn't careful, he might lose the upbeat tempo he had worked to create. He wondered a fraction of a second, "Where had I left off? Leopards...ah, no...Leprechauns..."

Zelgadiss was the closest to the aisle, so he was the one to actually grab a waiter and request that the chef come out and bring a bowl of sour cream.

Xelloss took a moment to explain about the 'little people.' "Leprechauns are little make-believe fairies that live in Ireland. They are the shoemakers for the fairies. The story is that if you catch one you can make him tell you where he hides his gold."

He caught Lina's eye, and was pleased to see that he had her undivided attention. It was time to set off a few tiny spells. "I can't say if anyone's ever caught one yet...but start looking! Ah... and some magic is involved in catching a Leprechaun! Good luck!"

"You mean here? Now?" Lina gasped. This was an unexcepted turn of events!

For the next half hour, the friends disrupted the other diners as they chased tiny, magical pixies using light spells and 'disenchantment' incantations to uncover hidden treasures Xelloss had scattered around the room. Lina was about to cast a fireball at a dubious-looking roast set before some unfortunate patrons, when Gourry snatched it out of the way.

"Don't wanna waste this," Gourry said.

Lin nearly laid waste to him for getting in her way, however, Xelloss calmly drew her eyes to a glittering object atop a dazzling red-orange credenza.

"Gold!" she cheered with glee. She nabbed the pot, and peace settled on the room.

They all regrouped at their table. "That was fun, Mr. Xelloss. Are you going to tell me about wearing the shamrocks now?"

"Okay, Amelia. Well, first, they are reputed to bring the wearer good luck. I can't see how any old thing could work a charm like that, but..." He drew out the 'but' and looked around, a roguish expression on his face. "...but first everyone has ten seconds to put something green on, or you get pinched!"

Amelia understood at once. She tore off a sprig of clover leaves and tossed them around the table. "Put one in your lapel...or hair...quick!"

"Ouch!" Filia cried out. "Xelloss, that was totally unnecessary. I was already wearing green!"

"But underwear doesn't count, Filia-dear. _Everyone_ has to be able to see it!"

Before she exploded, Xelloss magically restored quiet with another trick.

"What's that?" Sylphiel asked.

"Smells like beer."

"Right-to, Mr. Gabriev."

"But it's green." Gourry liked his food simple, plentiful, and normal-colored.

Xelloss chuckled as he poured mugs of green beer from the never-emptying pitcher. After that, the beer flowed freely, and the conversation became lighter in tone.

"So," Xelloss was getting into a few jokes while his friends were loosening up a bit. "So, there was this doctor who was puzzled. He told his patient, 'I'm very sorry but I can't diagnose your trouble, Mahoney. I think it must be drink.' Mahoney looks him over, then shakes his head, and tells the doctor, 'Don't worry about it Dr. Kelley, I'll come back when you're sober.'"

"Ooooh, that's awful," someone groaned.

Lina was all warm and fuzzy. See looked up and admired the beautiful Murano glass chandelier overhead. Red, her favorite color. How nice of Xelloss to arrange everything to suit her. She finished off another mug of green beer and decided that his green suit wasn't so bad.

Someone else shouted, "Do another!"

"Okay... 'So there's this fellow and his wife and she says, 'Hey Patrick, do I hear you spitting in the vase on the mantelpiece ?' And he answers, 'No, Nora, but I'm getting closer all the time!'"

"Euuuuww!"

Nice colors all around the room, Lina thought. She had a hunch that something else was involved in the event that night, but she couldn't quite say what. It had something to do with colors.

"Do another!"

"One last one!" Xelloss promised. "There was a man named Murphy. One day he told his old buddy, Quinn, 'My wife...she's driving me to drink!' Well, Quinn is very impressed by his friend's news, and says, "I think you're very lucky. My own wife makes me walk!'"

Amid the groans, Lina piped up. "This place has very different furnishings, Xelloss. I like it!"

Amelia glanced at Zelgadiss to her side. "I like it, too. Don't you?"

"Yes." Zelgadiss had to admit that he found the dining room pleasantly, if not oddly, decorated. "Very colorful."

Lina caught the rapid exchange of surreptitious looks that passed between Amelia and Xelloss. She was certain something was up, something more than happy, green Leprechauns. She was about to call Xelloss on it, but decided to trust him, or Amelia, at least, and wait them out.

"And neutrals don't have to be boring," Amelia said.

"Certainly, Amelia. How right you are! Why, notice how the walls are painted a soft blue and the wood floor is stained a rich brown. Both colors set off the white door frames, baseboards, and picture rails," Xelloss embraced the topic with gusto.

"I think I liked him better when he just said 'that's a secret' instead of espousing knowledge on every subject and explaining everything in excruciating detail," Filia whispered to Milgasia.

Xelloss ignored her. He spoke again, now standing and directing everyone's attention to one of the chairs. "The dining-room chairs, a Knoll and Drake design, I was told, are covered in a quiet green. Against a neutral background, vivid hues and bold shapes stand out all the more brilliantly."

"Are you suggesting that we should use splashes of color to energize a sedate space?" Amelia asked.

"Yes, indeed, Amelia! Embrace change. Tie everything together by using consistent elements, like simple clean lines and a simple palette, but include assertive colors."

Most everyone was mystified by this conversation. Gourry was ready to assume it was the effect of four mugs of beer.

Zelgadiss was grasping at anything to bring their words into focus, and then he discovered the business card he had jammed into his pocket. He took it out, and placed it on the table. "Does all this have anything to do with a men's clothier's card?"

"Oh, ah..." Amelia flushed and smiled demurely.

"Oh, come on, Zel, look around you!" Xelloss gestured broadly. "Do you see anyone here wearing the same drab traveling clothes they did ten years ago?"

No. Everyone was colorfully and smartly attired, but Zelgadiss. He stared at a cluster of cloaked men in a far corner, and was about to say something, when Xelloss emphasized, "At **_this _**table?"

"No, not besides me." Zel turned to Amelia and sighed. "It really bothers you that much?"

"You'd be so handsome in..."

"Not _that!_" he exclaimed, hoping she didn't have her heart set on that garish green outfit Xelloss was wearing.

"Oh no!" she cried out, and then laughed, but it was mostly at the look of relief on his face as he relaxed. "Maybe a dark grey with touches of burgundy, if you'd like..."

"Fine. If it pleases you, but... Xelloss?"

"Still here!"

"Don't wear that suit in my presence again, all right?"

"Why, Zelgadiss, you don't like it? Oh,my. Well, I'll save it for next year, when we do this again."

"We're doing this again? Like the Valentine's Day party?" Sylphiel asked. She hadn't really understood the association of the business card with the pots of gold and the green beer, but she was fond of Xelloss, and enjoyed visiting with her old friends.

"If you like. We'll do it each year."

"Fine," Lina shrugged. Now that he was standing close, she made a decision about _his_ clothes. "But I'm burning that suit."

"Aw, but it brought me luck," he said, a ghost of a smile paying at the corners of his mouth.

"No. It didn't. It really didn't," she assured him.

"Well, then..." Xelloss snapped his fingers.

He and Lina reappeared in their private room upstairs in the inn. He was wearing his sprig of clover, and nothing else. The suit was gone, probably stored carefully away in some secret location where she couldn't burn it, and where he could retrieve it again.

"At least it's gone," Lina thought to herself with a laugh aloud, and then kicked off her shoes.

When she had worked off all her clothes, Xelloss sighed and said in a lust-filled voice, "Ah now I understand that part about the luck of the Irish."

"What's that?" Lina asked, but she really hadn't expected an answer.

End, **In March, Clover**.


End file.
